Theresa May’s last-ditch attempt to persuade MPs to back her Brexit deal has backfired after a pre-briefed extract of her speech contained a false claim about a previous referendum. A key section of the address – due to be delivered on Monday – claims the result of the 1997 Welsh Assembly referendum was “accepted by…

Theresa May’s last-ditch attempt to persuade MPs to back her Brexit deal has backfired after a pre-briefed extract of her speech contained a false claim about a previous referendum.

A key section of the address – due to be delivered on Monday – claims the result of the 1997 Welsh Assembly referendum was “accepted by both sides” and the “popular legitimacy of that institution has never seriously been questioned”.

More than two decades ago the referendum was won by those advocating the creation of the Assembly by a margin of 0.3 per cent – a majority of 6,721 votes.

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But the prime minister was accused of “utter hypocrisy” after it quickly emerged that after being elected to parliament, in 1997, Ms May voted against a bill that sought to implement the result of the referendum.

Parliamentary records show that Ms May was among 144 MPs who voted for an amendment which would have blocked the Government of Wales Bill giving effect to the referendum result.

And in 2005, the Conservative party in its general election manifesto stated: “In Wales we will work with the Assembly and give the Welsh people a referendum on whether to keep the Assembly in its current form, increase its powers or abolish it.”

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It comes as the prime minister is to outline in her address that no Brexit now appears more likely than a no-deal scenario, as she urges MPs to “consider the consequences of their actions”.

At a factory in Stoke-on-Trent later today, however, Ms May will say as MPs prepares to vote on the UK-EU Brexit deal: “On the rare occasions when parliament puts a question to the British people directly we have always understood that their response carries profound significance.

“When the people of Wales voted by a margin of 0.3 per cent, on a turnout of just over 50 per cent, to endorse the creation of the Welsh Assembly, that the result was accepted by both sides and the popular legitimacy of that institution has never seriously been questioned.”

“Parliament understood this face when it voted overwhelmingly to trigger Article 50. And both major parties did so too when they stood on election manifestos in 2017 that pledged to honour the result of the referendum.”

Responding to the the pre-briefed extract, Leanne Wood, the leader of Plaid Cymru, posted on her Twitter account: “But this isn’t true. The Tories did not accept the Assembly referendum result in Wales in 1997.

“They continued to campaign against devolution. Theresa May voted against in parliament after the referendum result. #StopLying.”

Created with Sketch.UK news in pictures

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Created with Sketch.Created with Sketch.

Created with Sketch.UK news in pictures

1/50 13 January 2019

British Prime Minister, Theresa May and her husband Philip attend Sunday morning prayers at her local church in Maidenhead, Britain, 13 January 2019. Members of the British Parliament are due to vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal on 15 January 2019, with Britain set to leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.

EPA

2/50 12 January 2019

Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest near Broadcasting House on in London, England. Demonstrators from both the left and the right wings of British politics have adopted the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ or Yellow Vest form of protest that first became prominent in France throughout November and December 2018. Various groups meet in London today to protest the Brexit deal due to be voted on in the UK Parliament

Getty Images

3/50 11 January 2019

An emotional Andy Murray revealed this year’s Australian Open could be the last tournament of his career. Struggling to hold back tears, the 31-year-old Scot said that the continuing pain from what he described as his “severely damaged right hip” had led him to decide to end his career this year. He said that he had been planning to make this summer’s Wimbledon his farewell tournament, but feared that he might have to bring down the curtain before then

Getty Images

4/50 10 January 2019

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were greeted by Chase Bridge Primary School children waving UK and Japanese national flags during a visit to Twickenham Rugby Stadium in, west London. Abe is visiting Britain and set to hold talks with May following her visit to Tokyo and Kyoto last year

AFP/Getty

5/50 9 January 2019

Former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron (right) speaks to a pro-Brexit protester outside the Houses of Parliament. MPs will resume debating Theresa May’s Brexit plan a month after she postponed the original commons vote. Met police have been urged to take action against protesters who abuse MP’s. This comes after Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally abused and called ‘Nazi scum’ by pro-Brexit protesters on 7 January

EPA

6/50 8 January 2019

Alex Salmond speaking outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it ruled that the Scottish Government acted unlawfully regarding sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister

PA

7/50 7 January 2019

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May meets with a mother and baby during a visit to a facility within Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. May made a speech setting out the government’s long-term plan for the National Health Service

AFP/Getty

8/50 6 January 2019

The Lions part group of professional performers on Bankside, during the annual Twelfth Night celebrations on the South Bank in central London.

PA

9/50 5 January 2019

Elliott List celebrates after scoring Gillingham’s first goal during the FA Cup third round match between against Cardiff City at Priestfield Stadium. The League One side went on to knock the Premier League out of the competition

Getty

10/50 4 January 2019

Frances Connolly, 52, and Patrick Connolly, 54, from Moira, County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot in the New Year’s Day lottery draw, during a photocall at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Belfast, as they announce their win

PA

11/50 3 January 2019

The offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour as it is deployed to patrol the English channel following an increase in migrants crossing in small boats

PA

12/50 2 January 2019

Rail protestors wearing masks with the faces of Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outside Kings Cross St Pancras station in London ahead of a visit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to highlight ‘rising rail fares and falling standards of service on Britain’s railways’ as part of Labour’s Rail Action Day

PA

13/50 1 January 2019

Police restraining a man after he stabbed three people at Victoria Station in Manchester last night. Two commuters – a man and woman in their 50s – were taken to hospital with knife injuries and a British Transport Police (BTP) officer was stabbed in the shoulder. Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody

Sam Clack/PA

14/50 31 December 2018

Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year

PA

15/50 30 December 2018

UK Border Force Cutter, ‘Search’ berths at Ramsgate Harbour. The growing number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel has been declared a “major incident” by UK home secretary Sajid Javid

Getty

16/50 29 December 2018

People remove a Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture ‘Angel of the North’, outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as Dr Seuss character the Grinch, was photographed pulling the hat down from the 65ft structure, with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers

PA

17/50 28 December 2018

The steam locomotive U Class 31806 makes its way past Corfe Castle during the Winter Warm Up on the Swanage Railway in Dorset

PA

18/50 27 December 2018

The scene in Launcelot Close, Andover, where the body of a man has been found after an explosion caused a building to collapse

Hannah Louise/Twitter/PA

19/50 26 December 2018

Shoppers enter the Selfridges store on Oxford Street during the Boxing Day sales in London

Reuters

20/50 25 December 2018

Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park have a great time finding the tasty morsels hidden amongst the wrapped parcels given to them by keepers. The animals need care and attention every day and Christmas is no different when the animals are checked, fed and given enrichment to keep them stimulated

PA

21/50 24 December 2018

A Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture ‘Angel of the North’, outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The hat is believed to have been added overnight, with passers-by stopping to take photos in the early hours of the morning. The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year

PA

22/50 23 December 2018

Team Dash and Splash swimmers, some in fancy dress, getting into the Irish Sea at Bangor beach in Northern Ireland

PA

23/50 22 December 2018

Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument near Amesbury. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the ‘re-birth’ of the sun for the new year

Getty

24/50 21 December 2018

Environmental protestors from the Extinction Rebellion group chant during a demonstration outside BBC Broadcasting House in London. The group was calling for the media organisation to provide further in-depth coverage of climate-related issues in future reporting

Getty

25/50 20 December 2018

A police helicopter flies over Gatwick airport in search of the person operating the drone that has caused the airport to be closed today

Getty

26/50 19 December 2018

There was controversy in the Commons today as Jeremy Corbyn allegedly called the Prime Minister a stupid woman under his breath after she made a joke at PMQs

AP

27/50 18 December 2018

Jose Mourinho after he was sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect. The Portuguese leaves United sixth in the table with the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday proving his final game in charge. A club statement read: “Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.”

Reuters

28/50 17 December 2018

Firefighters and police officers attend a memorial service at the Harrods Bombing memorial in west London, on the 35th anniversary of the terrorist attack which left three police officers and three members of the public dead, on December 17, 1983

PA

29/50 16 December 2018

Theresa May has hit out at Mr Blair, accusing him of “insulting”the British people and the office of prime minister by “undermining” Brexit talks with calls in Brussels for a second referendum.

PA

30/50 15 December 2018

Chester Zoo after a fire broke out in the Monsoon Forest habitat area.

PA

31/50 14 December 2018

Fracking has been halted at the Preston Road site in Lancashire after a series of tremors peaking at 0.9 magnitude

Reuters

32/50 13 December 2018

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today told Theresa May that he expects assurances that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

AP

33/50 12 December 2018

Theresa May announces that she is to face a vote of no confidence today

Reuters

34/50 11 December 2018

Armed police restrain a man inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in London

Reuters

35/50 10 December 2018

A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster

PA

36/50 9 December 2018

A pro-brexit demonstrator speaks into a megaphone at the “Brexit betrayal” march in London. Counter-demonstrators also staged a march in London today

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

37/50 8 December 2018

People in Santa costumes in Trafalgar Square, London, as they take part in Santacon

PA

38/50 7 December 2018

A large mural depicting one star being chipped away from the EU flag is seen in Dover. The work has been attributed to Banksy

Reuters

39/50 6 December 2018

A man wearing a storm trooper costume holds a sketchbook belonging to costume designer John Mollo, and showing illustrations for Star Wars costumes, during a photo-call ahead of an auction at Bonhams in central London

Reuters

40/50 5 December 2018

Demonstrators for and against Brexit protest opposite the Houses of Parliament

AFP/Getty

41/50 4 December 2018

Theresa May has suffered an unprecedented defeat after the government was found to be in contempt of parliament for refusing to publish key Brexit papers. Labour and other opposition MPs, including Ms May’s DUP allies, won a narrow victory on the emergency motion, which argued that ministers failed to comply with a binding Commons resolution to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit dea

Reuters

42/50 3 December 2018

The Independent’s Final Say campaign and People’s Vote delivering to 10 Downing Street their respective petitions calling for a public referendum on Theresa May’s Brexit deal. The Independent editor Christian Broughton delivered over one million Final Say signatures and People’s Vote spokesman Chuka Umunna delivered 300,000 People’s Vote signatures at midday

The Independent/Lucy Young

43/50 2 December 2018

Competitors take part in the London Santa Run in London’s Victoria Park

Reuters

44/50 1 December 2018

Britain will no longer have access to the EU’s Galileo satellite system (pictured) following brexit

PA

45/50 30 November 2018

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May attend the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Reuters

46/50 29 November 2018

Waves hit the British coast as Storm Diana approaches, in Portreath, Cornwall

StuCornell/Twitter/Reuters

47/50 28 November 2018

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stand with Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (left), the son of Leicester City’s chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and his mother Aimon watched by Leicester City players (right) as they pause after laying flowers during their visit to the King Power Stadium in Leicester, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the October 27 helicopter crash at the stadium. The chairman was among five people killed when his helicopter crashed in the side’s stadium car park moments after taking off from the pitch

AFP/Getty

48/50 27 November 2018

A demonstrator wearing a mask of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg poses outside Portcullis house to question the refusal of Zuckerberg to give evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee investigation into disinformation and fake news at the Houses of Parliament in London. Facebook boss Richard Allan is expected to be among a number of officials giving evidence to an “international grand committee” on disinformation and fake news

AFP/Getty

49/50 26 November 2018

Artist Joseph Hillier and his sculpture – Messenger, depicting “a young powerful woman”, which will be unveiled next year for Theatre Royal Plymouth. The sculpture, spanning seven metres high and nine metres wide, is too large to be put together at Castle Fine Arts foundry, near Oswestry, so it’s being made in sections with 30 master craftsmen to weld them together

PA

50/50 25 November 2018

Prime Minister Theresa May gives a press conference at the end of the European Council meeting in Brussels. The leaders of the 27 remaining EU member countries (EU27) have endorsed the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and approved the draft political declaration on future EU-UK relations in a special meeting of the European Council on Britain leaving the EU under Article 50

EPA

1/50 13 January 2019

British Prime Minister, Theresa May and her husband Philip attend Sunday morning prayers at her local church in Maidenhead, Britain, 13 January 2019. Members of the British Parliament are due to vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal on 15 January 2019, with Britain set to leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.

EPA

2/50 12 January 2019

Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest near Broadcasting House on in London, England. Demonstrators from both the left and the right wings of British politics have adopted the ‘Gilets Jaunes’ or Yellow Vest form of protest that first became prominent in France throughout November and December 2018. Various groups meet in London today to protest the Brexit deal due to be voted on in the UK Parliament

Getty Images

3/50 11 January 2019

An emotional Andy Murray revealed this year’s Australian Open could be the last tournament of his career. Struggling to hold back tears, the 31-year-old Scot said that the continuing pain from what he described as his “severely damaged right hip” had led him to decide to end his career this year. He said that he had been planning to make this summer’s Wimbledon his farewell tournament, but feared that he might have to bring down the curtain before then

Getty Images

4/50 10 January 2019

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were greeted by Chase Bridge Primary School children waving UK and Japanese national flags during a visit to Twickenham Rugby Stadium in, west London. Abe is visiting Britain and set to hold talks with May following her visit to Tokyo and Kyoto last year

AFP/Getty

5/50 9 January 2019

Former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Tim Farron (right) speaks to a pro-Brexit protester outside the Houses of Parliament. MPs will resume debating Theresa May’s Brexit plan a month after she postponed the original commons vote. Met police have been urged to take action against protesters who abuse MP’s. This comes after Conservative MP Anna Soubry was verbally abused and called ‘Nazi scum’ by pro-Brexit protesters on 7 January

EPA

6/50 8 January 2019

Alex Salmond speaking outside the Court of Session in Edinburgh after it ruled that the Scottish Government acted unlawfully regarding sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister

PA

7/50 7 January 2019

Britain’s Prime Minister Theresa May meets with a mother and baby during a visit to a facility within Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. May made a speech setting out the government’s long-term plan for the National Health Service

AFP/Getty

8/50 6 January 2019

The Lions part group of professional performers on Bankside, during the annual Twelfth Night celebrations on the South Bank in central London.

PA

9/50 5 January 2019

Elliott List celebrates after scoring Gillingham’s first goal during the FA Cup third round match between against Cardiff City at Priestfield Stadium. The League One side went on to knock the Premier League out of the competition

Getty

10/50 4 January 2019

Frances Connolly, 52, and Patrick Connolly, 54, from Moira, County Armagh in Northern Ireland, who scooped a £115 million EuroMillions jackpot in the New Year’s Day lottery draw, during a photocall at the Culloden Estate and Spa in Holywood, Belfast, as they announce their win

PA

11/50 3 January 2019

The offshore patrol vessel HMS Mersey leaves Portsmouth Harbour as it is deployed to patrol the English channel following an increase in migrants crossing in small boats

PA

12/50 2 January 2019

Rail protestors wearing masks with the faces of Prime Minister Theresa May and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling outside Kings Cross St Pancras station in London ahead of a visit by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to highlight ‘rising rail fares and falling standards of service on Britain’s railways’ as part of Labour’s Rail Action Day

PA

13/50 1 January 2019

Police restraining a man after he stabbed three people at Victoria Station in Manchester last night. Two commuters – a man and woman in their 50s – were taken to hospital with knife injuries and a British Transport Police (BTP) officer was stabbed in the shoulder. Police said a man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and remains in custody

Sam Clack/PA

14/50 31 December 2018

Competitors in fancy dress run across the Pennine tops near Haworth, West Yorkshire, in the annual Auld Lang Syne Fell race which attracts hundreds of runners every year

PA

15/50 30 December 2018

UK Border Force Cutter, ‘Search’ berths at Ramsgate Harbour. The growing number of migrants attempting to cross the English Channel has been declared a “major incident” by UK home secretary Sajid Javid

Getty

16/50 29 December 2018

People remove a Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture ‘Angel of the North’, outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The pranksters responsible climbed up overnight to remove it. One of the group, dressed as Dr Seuss character the Grinch, was photographed pulling the hat down from the 65ft structure, with the help of three others dressed as Santa. The hat had been placed on top of the famous Anthony Gormley artwork on Christmas Eve, prompting delight from onlookers

PA

17/50 28 December 2018

The steam locomotive U Class 31806 makes its way past Corfe Castle during the Winter Warm Up on the Swanage Railway in Dorset

PA

18/50 27 December 2018

The scene in Launcelot Close, Andover, where the body of a man has been found after an explosion caused a building to collapse

Hannah Louise/Twitter/PA

19/50 26 December 2018

Shoppers enter the Selfridges store on Oxford Street during the Boxing Day sales in London

Reuters

20/50 25 December 2018

Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park have a great time finding the tasty morsels hidden amongst the wrapped parcels given to them by keepers. The animals need care and attention every day and Christmas is no different when the animals are checked, fed and given enrichment to keep them stimulated

PA

21/50 24 December 2018

A Santa hat on the 20 metres tall steel sculpture ‘Angel of the North’, outside Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. The hat is believed to have been added overnight, with passers-by stopping to take photos in the early hours of the morning. The Sir Antony Gormley sculpture was installed in 1998, with celebrations marking its 20th birthday this year

PA

22/50 23 December 2018

Team Dash and Splash swimmers, some in fancy dress, getting into the Irish Sea at Bangor beach in Northern Ireland

PA

23/50 22 December 2018

Members of the Shakti Sings choir sing as druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument near Amesbury. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year and the event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the ‘re-birth’ of the sun for the new year

Getty

24/50 21 December 2018

Environmental protestors from the Extinction Rebellion group chant during a demonstration outside BBC Broadcasting House in London. The group was calling for the media organisation to provide further in-depth coverage of climate-related issues in future reporting

Getty

25/50 20 December 2018

A police helicopter flies over Gatwick airport in search of the person operating the drone that has caused the airport to be closed today

Getty

26/50 19 December 2018

There was controversy in the Commons today as Jeremy Corbyn allegedly called the Prime Minister a stupid woman under his breath after she made a joke at PMQs

AP

27/50 18 December 2018

Jose Mourinho after he was sacked by Manchester United with immediate effect. The Portuguese leaves United sixth in the table with the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday proving his final game in charge. A club statement read: “Manchester United announces that manager Jose Mourinho has left the club with immediate effect. The club would like to thank Jose for his work during his time at Manchester United and to wish him success in the future. A new caretaker manager will be appointed until the end of the current season, while the club conducts a thorough recruitment process for a new, full-time manager.”

Reuters

28/50 17 December 2018

Firefighters and police officers attend a memorial service at the Harrods Bombing memorial in west London, on the 35th anniversary of the terrorist attack which left three police officers and three members of the public dead, on December 17, 1983

PA

29/50 16 December 2018

Theresa May has hit out at Mr Blair, accusing him of “insulting”the British people and the office of prime minister by “undermining” Brexit talks with calls in Brussels for a second referendum.

PA

30/50 15 December 2018

Chester Zoo after a fire broke out in the Monsoon Forest habitat area.

PA

31/50 14 December 2018

Fracking has been halted at the Preston Road site in Lancashire after a series of tremors peaking at 0.9 magnitude

Reuters

32/50 13 December 2018

Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar today told Theresa May that he expects assurances that there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

AP

33/50 12 December 2018

Theresa May announces that she is to face a vote of no confidence today

Reuters

34/50 11 December 2018

Armed police restrain a man inside the grounds of the Houses of Parliament in London

Reuters

35/50 10 December 2018

A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster

PA

36/50 9 December 2018

A pro-brexit demonstrator speaks into a megaphone at the “Brexit betrayal” march in London. Counter-demonstrators also staged a march in London today

Angela Christofilou/The Independent

37/50 8 December 2018

People in Santa costumes in Trafalgar Square, London, as they take part in Santacon

PA

38/50 7 December 2018

A large mural depicting one star being chipped away from the EU flag is seen in Dover. The work has been attributed to Banksy

Reuters

39/50 6 December 2018

A man wearing a storm trooper costume holds a sketchbook belonging to costume designer John Mollo, and showing illustrations for Star Wars costumes, during a photo-call ahead of an auction at Bonhams in central London

Reuters

40/50 5 December 2018

Demonstrators for and against Brexit protest opposite the Houses of Parliament

AFP/Getty

41/50 4 December 2018

Theresa May has suffered an unprecedented defeat after the government was found to be in contempt of parliament for refusing to publish key Brexit papers. Labour and other opposition MPs, including Ms May’s DUP allies, won a narrow victory on the emergency motion, which argued that ministers failed to comply with a binding Commons resolution to publish the full legal advice on the Brexit dea

Reuters

42/50 3 December 2018

The Independent’s Final Say campaign and People’s Vote delivering to 10 Downing Street their respective petitions calling for a public referendum on Theresa May’s Brexit deal. The Independent editor Christian Broughton delivered over one million Final Say signatures and People’s Vote spokesman Chuka Umunna delivered 300,000 People’s Vote signatures at midday

The Independent/Lucy Young

43/50 2 December 2018

Competitors take part in the London Santa Run in London’s Victoria Park

Reuters

44/50 1 December 2018

Britain will no longer have access to the EU’s Galileo satellite system (pictured) following brexit

PA

45/50 30 November 2018

US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May attend the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Reuters

46/50 29 November 2018

Waves hit the British coast as Storm Diana approaches, in Portreath, Cornwall

StuCornell/Twitter/Reuters

47/50 28 November 2018

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge stand with Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha (left), the son of Leicester City’s chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, and his mother Aimon watched by Leicester City players (right) as they pause after laying flowers during their visit to the King Power Stadium in Leicester, to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in the October 27 helicopter crash at the stadium. The chairman was among five people killed when his helicopter crashed in the side’s stadium car park moments after taking off from the pitch

AFP/Getty

48/50 27 November 2018

A demonstrator wearing a mask of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg poses outside Portcullis house to question the refusal of Zuckerberg to give evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee investigation into disinformation and fake news at the Houses of Parliament in London. Facebook boss Richard Allan is expected to be among a number of officials giving evidence to an “international grand committee” on disinformation and fake news

AFP/Getty

49/50 26 November 2018

Artist Joseph Hillier and his sculpture – Messenger, depicting “a young powerful woman”, which will be unveiled next year for Theatre Royal Plymouth. The sculpture, spanning seven metres high and nine metres wide, is too large to be put together at Castle Fine Arts foundry, near Oswestry, so it’s being made in sections with 30 master craftsmen to weld them together

PA

50/50 25 November 2018

Prime Minister Theresa May gives a press conference at the end of the European Council meeting in Brussels. The leaders of the 27 remaining EU member countries (EU27) have endorsed the draft Brexit withdrawal agreement and approved the draft political declaration on future EU-UK relations in a special meeting of the European Council on Britain leaving the EU under Article 50

EPA

Labour MP for Cardiff Central Jo Stevens said the development had exposed “yet more utter hypocrisy from the PM, who, with other leading Brexit Tories, voted against legislation giving effect to the result of the Welsh referendum before it was implemented”.

And Cardiff South & Penarth MP Stephen Doughty, a leading supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said: “This is a very strange example for the PM to use – not least given she herself voted against implementing the Welsh referendum result, and the Tories continued to oppose it for years afterwards.

“But unlike Brexit – the Welsh Assembly grew in public support after the referendum. Brexit has headed decisively in the opposite direction – which is why the people should have the final say.”

The Independent has launched its #FinalSay campaign to demand that voters are given a voice on the final Brexit deal.